on a cloudy day ...

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that as I come to, the insanity seems to decrease

that some people trust me enough to confide in me

that Rodney and I went to see Vantage Point last night; I recommend it

that I'll never be a Governor caught in a scandal;
I don't care for politics

for another successful Shuttle launch early this morning

Don't regret growing older. It is a privilege denied to many.
~ unknown

another Monday

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for another Monday without a hangover

that my Mom continues to hang in there but is mostly unresponsive; it seems to get more difficult for me to watch; I appreciate all the kind thoughts and words from you guys

that hearing the AA story of people in recovery often keeps me on the edge of my seat. Such was the case Saturday night when Tony S. told us what it was like.

for another productive Lambda Board of Directors meeting

that I'm gonna hit the gym at 5:20 this morning

that my sister sold her house after 13 months on the market

that what comes around, goes around

that my fellow bloggers have handled difficulties with another blogger with class, dignity and without compromising their spiritual principles

What can you do to promote world peace? Go home and love your family.
-Mother Teresa

a heart warming little guy

Not Down

There is a two-letter word that perhaps has more meanings than any other two-letter word, and that is 'UP'.


It's easy to understand. UP, meaning toward the sky or at the top of the list, but when we awaken in the morning, why do we wake UP ? At a meeting, why does a topic come UP ? Why do we speak UP and why are the officers UP for election and why is it UP to the secretary to write UP a report ?

We call UP our friends. And we use it to brighten UP a room, polish UP the silver, we warm UP the leftovers and clean UP the kitchen. We lock UP the house and some guys fix UP the old car.

At other times the little word has real special meaning. People stir UP trouble, line UP for tickets, work UP an appetite, and think UP excuses. To be dressed is one thing, but to be dressed UP is special.

And this UP is confusing: A drain must be opened UP because it is stopped UP . We open UP a store in the morning but we close it UP at night. We seem to be pretty mixed UP about UP ! To be knowledgeable about the proper uses of UP , look the word UP in the dictionary. In a desk-sized dictionary, it takes UP almost 1/4th of the page and can add UP to about thirty definitions. If you are UP to it, you might try building UP a list of the many ways UP is used. It will take UP a lot of your time, but if you don't give UP , you may wind UP with a hundred or more.

When it threatens to rain, we say it is clouding UP. When the sun comes out we say it is clearing UP. When it rains, it wets the earth and often messes things UP .When it doesn't rain for awhile, things dry UP. One could go on and on, but I'll wrap it UP, for now my time is UP, so........... it is time to shut UP!

Living today

A dog is truly a man's best friend.
Don't believe it? Just try this little experiment:

Put your dog and your wife in the trunk of your car for an hour.

When you open the trunk .....
..... who do YOU think will REALLY be happy to see you?


todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for Step 10 and the range of recovery methods it entails

that AA is a design for living and Step 10 is a design for living today!

to see newcomers who really want to help themselves

that I can usually recognize the bait and I don't have to take it

that maybe some day I too can be a shape-shifting reptile (see the quote below)

"When you judge another, you do not define them, you define yourself."
-- Wayne Dyer

delivered to your home

spring is in the air

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for a really good meeting and breakfast with my sponsor. He knows me so well. We don't get together as often any more, but when we do, it's good, quality time. I sometimes feel guilty because I don't meet with him every week like you guys suggest. We haven't worked the steps together in 3 years. I hear you guys talk about doing them constantly with a sponsor, so I feel guilty about this. But, at the end of the day, I am sober and usually happy, joyous and free. I am active in my program and participate as much as ever. I work with others and try to help other people in recovery.
So screw y'all. (I say this with a smile on my face.)

that I got to chair the 6:30am meeting yesterday and someone needed to speak about FEAR. It was a wonderful discussion meeting.

that my bum knee has repaired itself and no longer gives me any trouble

that the Houston Rockets have won 16 straight games. That's pretty incredible in this day and age of a balanced league. I am no longer a big fan of the NBA and its rosters of thugs, but I do respect team records.

"If you have real internal value, you don't need a loud, expensive imitation."
-- Denis Waitley

"Total, unconditional acceptance of yourself is the first step in building a positive self-image."
-- Nido Qubein

"The most influential person who will talk to you all day is you, so you should be very careful about what you say to you!"
-- Zig Ziglar

I approve this message

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for all the people I meet in recovery; their stories and their solutions to life situations never cease to amaze me

that I do my best not to participate in negativity these days

that I registered for the Hot 'n Dry AA Roundup in Palm Springs for next September. I have not (yet) been to a Roundup other than our very own here in Houston.

that a post of TAB made me realize that my isolation and depression issues have been greatly reduced since I began exercising regularly last summer

for the increase in political activism this year; I believe it may be the most positive legacy of President W.

Until you're ready to look foolish, you'll never have the possibility of being great.
-Cher

just between you and me...

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that I was reminded of Tradition 3 -- the only requirement for membership to AA is a desire to stop drinking. A recovery friend says that AA could not have lowered its standards any farther.

that it was pretty easy for me to admit that I am an alcoholic. It was much more difficult for me to admit that alcohol was the cause of so many of my problems. Now I realize that it wasn't even the alcohol. It's the alcoholism.

for another blast of winter down here in the deep south; the temperature Monday morning at 9am was 76°, by noon it was 55°

that I have the privelege of voting today

for the 2-hour special on The Royal Family. I have always been rather fascinated by the pomp and arrogance of that family.

"Too many people overvalue what they are not and undervalue what they are."

-- Malcolm Forbes

"Seek respect mainly from thyself, for it comes first from within."

-- Steven H. Coogler

"What you see is what you get, and who you feel like is who you really are."

-- Denis Waitley

to begin a fresh week...

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for the Step 6 meeting Sunday morning. It's my favorite thing to be reminded of because when I fail to practice it, I am at my worst behavior.

that Mom looked better and was more aware of her surroundings than in weeks past

for peace and serenity on a lovely Sunday afternoon. I had absolutely nothing on my schedule and tried to keep it that way.

that I got to hear William M. tell his tales of alcoholic behavior which led him to that incomprehensible demoralisation, something I can really identify with

that my friend, Bob S., asked me to read in his 4-person play later this month. We rehearsed yesterday morning. Successfully.

that today is Doug's birthday. We were bestest friends in high school (35 years ago). Today, he lives in California and has 3 kids. We still speak on the phone once or twice each year. Today will be one of those days.

that PAM is making a sincere attempt to stop smoking; it was one of the easiest things I ever did once I mustered the courage to do it

Love the moment, and the energy of that moment will spread beyond all boundaries.

-Corita Kent

video X 2

serious, then just for fun

CLICK HERE to see a very serious video from the Ellen Degeneres Show.


Now, to lighten up your day ...

An Italian workman wants a job, but the foreman won't hire him until he passes a little math test.

"Here's your first question," the foreman said. "Without using numbers, represent the number 9."

"Withouta numbers?" the Italian says, "Datsa easy." and he proceeds to draw three trees.

"What's this?" the boss asks.

"Ave you gota no brain? Tree and tree and tree makes a nine," says the Italian.

"Fair enough," says the boss. "Here's your second question. Use the same rules, but this time the number is 99."

The Italian stares into space for a while, then picks up the picture that he has just drawn and makes a smudge on each tree. "Ere you go."

The boss scratches his head and says, "How on earth do you get that to represent 99?"

"Eacha of da trees is a dirty now. So, it's dirty tree, and dirty tree, and dirty tree. Datsa a 99."

The boss is getting worried that he's going to actually have to hire this Italian, so he says, "All right, last question. Same rules again, but represent the number 100."

The Italian stares into space some more, then he picks up the picture again and makes a little mark at the base of each tree and says, "Ere you go. One hundred."

The boss looks at the attempt. "You must be nuts if you think that represents a hundred!"

The Italian leans forward and points to the marks at the base of each tree and says, "A little doga come along and shita by eacha tree. So now you gota dirty tree and a turd, dirty tree and a turd, and dirty tree and a turd, data makea one hundred. So, whenna I start?"

HAVE A GREAT SATURDAY! It's March now.

Filling the bucket (slowly)

REDNECK MAP


todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for the newcomer at the 6:30am meeting yesterday (a straight woman attending a [predominantly] gay men's meeting)

for the 2 ½ months that Hayden has been here; he's back to his Caribbean home today until the summer

that I had the opportunity to get 2 Houston Astros season ticket packages (1/3 of their 81 home games). The filling of my Bucket List continues.

that it's been 9 months since I had a hamburger; for my first 52 years (at least during my adult life), I probably averaged 4 burgers every week

A man does not have to be an angel in order to be a saint.
-Albert Schweitzer

having faith

This picture is just for Bill.


todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that I volunteered to chair the Wednesday 6:30am AA meeting for March

that my little bouts of depression go quickly

for the concept of fake it til you make it (it's worked many times for me)

for the infinite examples set before me

that I have 2 tickets to see Lisa Lampanelli in concert in a couple of weeks (don't click on her name if you are offended by naughty words)

Relying on God has to begin all over again every day as if nothing had yet been done.

-C.S. Lewis

the short list

Some pictures need no explanation.
This might be one of those.


todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that I no longer pray for my HP's will; I ask for acceptance of my HP's will

that Pam is OK

that I'm always sober and ocassionally sane

that I don't live in a communist country

that I'm running late and gotta go

Courage is fear holding on a minute longer.
~ anonymous

just tryin' to do the deal

While the C-5 was turning over its engines, a female crewman gave the G.I.'s on board the usual information regarding seat belts, emergency exits, etc. Finally, she said, 'Now sit back and enjoy your trip while your captain, Judith Campbell, and crew take you safely to Afghanistan ' An old MSgt. sitting in the eighth row thought to himself, 'Did I hear her right? Is the captain a woman?' When the attendant came by he said 'Did I understand you right? Is the captain a woman?' 'Yes,' said the Attendant, 'In fact, this entire crew is female.'

'My God,' he said , I don't know what to think with only women up there in the cockpit.' 'That's another thing Sergeant,' said the crew member,

'We No Longer Call It The Cock Pit.'

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that I am sober and smoke-free one more day, a freedom that many don't realize is available to them

for boundaries

that I am making an extra effort to make myself known to newcomers

that I slept late this morning

Man has never made any material as resilient as the human spirit.
-Bern Williams

There are some angels in this city

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that I attended a very powerful and enlightening fist step meeting Sunday morning

that Lambda Center rocks and that a fellow blogger lives near Boulder

that I am going through a period of depression without a thought about drinking

that I can read the posts from some of you guys and know I'm not alone

that my partner and I can have disagreements and even argue but it doesn't last very long because I use some spiritual steps to bring it to a conclusion

that my nasty bug from Thursday was gone so quickly; the human body has some amazing recuperative powers

To me every hour of the day and night is an unspeakable perfect miracle.
-Walt Whitman

My name is Dave and I approved this message.

Shadow Puppets

courtesy of Bill


SELF-CONCEPT/SELF-CONFIDENCE

Too many people overvalue what they are not and undervalue what they are.
-- Malcolm Forbes

Seek respect mainly from thyself, for it comes first from within.
-- Steven H. Coogler

"What you see is what you get, and who you feel like is who you really are."
-- Denis Waitley

potpourri

To all my friends who in 2007 sent me best "wishes", chain letters, "angel" letters or other promises of good luck if I forwarded something,
NONE OF THEM WORKED!
For 2008, could you please just send money, chocolate,
movie tickets or gasoline vouchers.
Thank you!
----------------------------------------------------------

on a side note: my little illness is gone. It was a 24-hour bug and by midday Friday, it's like it never happened. Once again, adding credence to the phrase that This Too Shall Pass.

temperature range in Houston today 43° - 73°

Feelin' poorly

I am sick.
I've spent a lot of time in the bathroom over the past 24 hours with fluids coming from several orifices. I either have "the bug" that's going around or food poisoning. I know that I shall be feeling better soon.


todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that I rarely get sick; I seem to have a very strong immune system

that Hayden decided to stay another week

that tomorrow is AA Birthday Night @ Lambda


"The content of your thoughts and personal beliefs can be proven by a single indicator – your current results."
-- James A. Ray

"The reward of a thing well done is to have done it."
-- Ralph Waldo Emerson

"How you respond to the challenge in the second half will determine what you become after the game, whether you are a winner or a loser."
-- Lou Holtz

"The ultimate result of shielding men from the effects of folly is to fill the world with fools."
-- Herbert Spencer

Still progressing

Click here for a cute little song.
[courtesy of Zanejabbers]

If you're at work, don't turn it up too loud.


todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

for a short but sweet visit to see my Mom; she was able to open her eyes and smile at Hayden and I AND she squeezed our hands as well

for all the people who call to check on her condition

for the many times that my patience was tested yesterday and I passed each time; only a few months ago, my nerves would have been shot before darktime

that I rarely lie to anyone just so I can get my way

that it's been years since I have wanted to take revenge against anyone

that I am a defensive driver, thus able to avoid vehicles directly in front of me that go into a spin on the wet freeway

We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give.
-Winston Churchill